When it comes to software development, a team structure is essential as it develops clarity among team members so that everyone knows their responsibilities and there are no mishaps. Along with that, an additional layer of agile ensures flexibility and efficiency among a software development team.
Agile software development is widely known as an iterative approach to managing a software project throughout its development by helping various teams deliver value to their customers feasibly. An agile approach helps divide the project into smaller parts and deliver it faster and with fewer headaches.
What is a team structure in software development?
Software projects are implemented with higher success rates with the help of a structured approach. Thus, a team structure is a well-planned hierarchical formation of a team that is responsible for project development. It is one of the most crucial aspects of streamlining the project and delivering it to the client smoothly. It is a well-structured framework that includes software development elements such as project activities, team designations and development workflows. A team structure in software development is a model that guides the team members to organize their operating procedures without any hassle.
Types of agile team structure
There are three primary approaches to the agile team structure for software product development;
Generalist
The generalist team is one that consists of experts with a variety of skill sets and extensive experience. These teams work on individual features or end-to-end software project development. The team members are experienced enough to work on the project by themselves without any level of dependency. As everyone in this structure has ample knowledge, they are focused on improving the product as a team. It is known as one of the most common software project structures when it comes to outsourcing.
Specialist
The specialist team is where each and every team member is an expert in a specific niche. These individuals are super specific about their skill sets and are capable of managing narrow tasks. The specialist team is quiet common in software development as everyone comes along with profound knowledge of various project elements. However, with everyone working independently there are chances of all the components of the software project not fitting from the initial iterations because of communication gaps.
Hybrid
A hybrid team structure, as the name suggests is the amalgamation of generalists as well as specialists. This structure focuses on working on a software project as a team as well as narrowing down their focus whenever required. With such an approach, one can maximize effectively with generalists working on system integration and specialists working on building separate components. Therefore, a hybrid structure is known to grasp the best of both worlds.
Structure of an agile software development team
Usually, every business has a handful of in-house generalists as well as specialists who work well with others to produce results efficiently. However, a lot of businesses are bound by time and financial strains. That’s one of the reasons why a generalist team structure is usually preferred among dedicated software development teams. Let us walk you through the primary positions of an agile software development team structure in their hierarchy.
Business analysts
Business analysts are the ones responsible for putting together goals and analyzing the entire software development process. They understand the business objective of their clients and present them with better data solutions. Moreover, they coordinate with the teams including customer service management teams, product development teams, and business operations teams.
Project manager
A project manager is an individual who is in charge of executing, organizing, directing and planning the software development project. Their role includes building trustworthy and long-term relationships with clients and different organizations. A project manager ensures that the software project is delivered to a client within the initial scope, time and budget. Their responsibilities also comprehend mentoring and leading the team in a productive manner whilst monitoring software development project progress.
Software Designers
Designers are creative individuals who work on user interfaces and user interaction parts of the software. They help in fulfilling clients’ business goals while making sure that the users’ problems are solved with innovative features. Designers aim at curating a software product that is easily navigated by focusing on the functionality and usability of it.
Software Developers
Developers are the heart of any software development project and they are divided into two categories as front-end developers and back-end developers. Frontend developers focus on customer-facing aspects of software whereas backend developers work on the core functionality. Their role demands producing clean and efficient code by integrating third-party programs and software components.
Quality Analysts
Quality analysts are experts who review quality specifications and technical design of the software by creating well structures test cases and plans. They specialize in estimating, managing, prioritizing and synchronizing quality assurance testing. These individuals work on delivering quality software on schedule.
Conclusion
Agile methodologies and team structures have gained acceptance across more and more enterprises and have become one of the top choices for budding entrepreneurs. There is more to software development than having an idea. It requires hiring the right one from the list of the top software development companies as well as implementing an agile development team structure to ensure smooth and successful development.
